HNoMS Vidar (1878-1947)

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[[Image:|300px]] The gunship HNoMS Vidar.
Career
Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	1878
Commissioned:	1878
Fate:	Rebuilt as a minelayer, decommissioned 1947
General characteristics
Displacement:	260 tons
Dimensions:	28 m long
Armament:	As built: 1 x 21 cm (10.5 inch) RML gun 1 x 1pdr (cm / inch) QF gun 1 x 1pdr (cm / inch) revolving gun After rebuild: 1 x 12 cm (4.72 inch) gun 1 z 47 mm (1.85 inch) gun 2 x 37 mm (1.46 inch) guns 236 tons of mines
Propulsion:	220 hp ( Kw), 8.5 knop ( km/h, mph)
Crew:	41 (31 after rebuild)

The HNoMS Vidar was a gunboat built for the Royal Norwegian Navy at Horten Naval Yard in 1878. She was one of a class of five gunboats - the other ships in the class was Vale, Brage, Nor and Uller.

Vidar was, in adition to the heavy, muzzleloading main gun, armed with a small 'Quick Fire' gun and an early automatic gun, similar to the Gatling gun.

Later Vidar, like her sisterships, was rebuilt as a minelayer, and she served in this role when the Germans invaded in 1940. During the Norwegian campaign she served mainly in Sognefjorden. She was captured by German forces on 14 April 1940, and returned to Norway after the war.

The vessel was built at the Naval Yard at Horten, and had the yard number 60.

[edit] Name

She was named after Víðarr - a god associated in Norse mythology with vengeance. Víðarr is the son of Odin and the giantess Gríd.

[edit] See also

• List of World War II ships of less than 1000 tons

[edit] References

• Naval history via Flix: KNM Vale, retrieved 27 Feb 2006
• Byggenummer ved Horten verft, retrieved 27 Feb 2006
• Ships of the Norwegian navy, retrieved 27 Feb 2006

Norwegian gunships

1. class:

Ellida, Sleipner, Viking and Frithjof

2. class:

Vale class: Vale, Brage, Nor, Uller and Vidar

Gor class: Gor and Tyr

Æger

Gunships of the Royal Norwegian Navy